Sliding door latch spring plate means



Oct. 19, 1965 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,212,303

SLIDING DOOR LATCH SPRING PLATE MEANS Filed Oct. 28, 1963 F250 J3- RUSSELL PA u/ C/Eo CCO INVENTORS g jzma am/ AITLQEDLi United States Patent 3 212 803 SLIDING DOOR LAT Cll SPRING PLATE MEANS Fred J. Russell, 8635 Otis St, South Gate, Calif., and Paul Cirocco, Bellfiower, Calif.; said Cirocco assignor to said Russell Filed Oct. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 319,102 1 Claim. (Cl. 232-407) The invention relates to spring actions for door latches and has particular reference to door latches of the kind adapted to be installed on sliding doors.

Although sliding doors and latches for operating them are by no means new to the art, sliding doors have become increasingly popular. This increase in employment of sliding doors has correspondingly increased the use of sliding door hardware. The need for adequate latches has prompted considerable redesign in the interest of greater simplicity of door latches and locks of this particular kind. Although current popularity and demand has resulted in an assortment of innovations, certain limitations have yet to be overcome in order to construct a sliding door latch which is a positive, secure, and durable piece of hardware. Most sliding door latches require-a spring to retain the latch hook in one or another of its positions. The springs and spring mechanisms which heretofore have been resorted to, though simple in some respects, have lacked an adequate degree of positive action and the ability to provide dependable service for long periods of time.

It is therefore among the objects of the lIlVEIllIlOlllO provide a new and improved spring action for a sliding door latch which is a more positive and effective means for holding the catch member in its selected positions of operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a springactuated sliding door latch which, by virtue of a special spring construction, makes the door latch one of much less expensive construction than those heretofore available.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved spring action sliding door latch wherein the number of necessary parts has been material reduced, thereby to simplify construction and reduce the cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved spring action sliding door latch which makes use of the inherent resilience of synthetic plastic resin material.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claim and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a fragment of sliding door showing the lock in place with the catch member in retracted position.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the sliding door latch taken on the line 2-2 of FIG- URE 4 and with the catch member retracted.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing the position of the catch member when extended.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary side perspective view of the spring element and a portion of the catch member.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing a modified form of spring plate.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration there is shown a fragment of sliding door 10 having a free edge 11 from which a recess 12 extends into the door 10. The latch herein under consideration consists of a casing identified in part by the side plates 13 and 14. A flange 15 on the side plate 13 and a similar flange 16 on the side plate 14 overlie the free edge 11 of the door It). A face plate 17 may be employed to dress up the edge of the casing.

When the lock is in an installed position as shown in FIGURE 1, it is customary to employ trim plates like the plate 18 and its counterpart on 19 on the opposite side. The plates 18, 19 are clamped to the faces of the door 10 by machine screws 23 and 23 respectively which engage with sleeve 20. Screw 18 and its counterpart 19' (not shown) on the opposite side also attach the plates 18, 19 to the door 10, thus retaining the lock from edgewise removal from the recess 12 in the door 10. Sleeve 20, in turn, riveted or fastened by other means respectively to the side plates 13, and 14. A second sleeve 22 is made use of which is also secured in place to the side plates 13 and 14, as for example by means of a rivet 21. Fastened in this fashion, the plates 13 and 14 provide a chamber 24 within the casing.

As a matter of convenience, the sliding door lock is provided with a finger-hold consisting of a finger hook 25 pivotally mounted on the side plates 13 and 14 by means of a pivot pin 26. A finger extension 27 is provided on the bottom part and a long slot 28 extends from a distance somewhat less than that between the pivot pin 26 and the finger extension 27.

A catch member indicated generally by the reference character 39 is shown retracted in FIGURE 2 and in extended position (broken line) in FIGURE 3. The catch member 30 is provided with a hub 31 having shoulder portions 32 and 33 on opposite sides whereby the hub 31 is located in rotating position relative to the respective s de plates 13 and 14. The hub 31 has an enlarged disclike portion 34, from which an arm 35 extends and terminates in a lip 36.

On one side of the disc-like portion 34 and forming part of the hub 31 is a section 37, which is square in cross-section, and co-operating with the hub 31 and the section 37 is a spring plate member 40.

The member 40 in plate form as described is preferably made of an appropriate commercial synthetic plastic resin material of recognized resilient properties.

The spring plate member 40 has a hole 41 in it which surrounds the sleeve 22. In order to keep the spring plate member 40 from rotating, in the preferred form of the invention, a tab 42 extends inwardly from the side plate :3 and fits within a recess 43 of the spring plate member In the first described form of sections 44 and 45 extend from a spring plate member 40 toward the right as viewed in FIGURES 2 and 3, providing an opening 47 between them. It should be noted from an examination of FIGURE 3, where the catch member 30 is in extended position, that the distance between inside faces of the legs 44 and 45 is substantially less than the diametr ical distance between diametrically opposite projections 48 and 49 of the section 37. The same comment holds true also of diametrically opposite projections 50 and 51. In this instance, a turn button 52 is provided on the forward side of the lock casing as viewed in FIGURES 1 and 4, and a similar turn button 53 is provided on the opposite side. A noncircular shank 54 of the turn button 53 fits in a complementary noncircular opening 55 in the hub 31, thereby nonrotatably connecting the turn button 52 or turn button 53, as the case may be, to the hub 31 and accordingly to the catch member 30.

In the operation of this form of the device, it can be assumed that the catch member 30 initially is in the retracted position of FIGURE 2. As there shown, a

the device, resilient leg by the broken lines in FIGURE 3.

stop 56 extending rearwardly and to the right of the arm 35 comes to a stop against the sleeve 20. In this position also, the section 37 of square cross-section is rotated clockwise until the projection 48 falls on the right side of the center of rotation while in position against the resilient leg 44 and the projection 49 has been rotated clockwise to the left of the center of rotation where it occupies a position against the leg 45. To reach these positions, the legs 44 and 45 have had to yield resiliently as the projections 48 and 49 pass over the center of rotation from the opposite sides. The pressure of the legs 44 and 45 against flat faces of the section 37 tend to urge it and catch member 30 in a clockwise direction to the position where the stop 56 blocks further rotation. The pressure exerted by the legs 44 and 45 respectively against the section 37 holds the catch member 30 in retracted position.

When the catch member 30 is to be moved to extended position as represented by the broken line of FIGURE 3, one of the turn buttons, as for example the turn button 52, is rotated in a counterclockwise direction from the position of FIGURE 2 to the position of FIGURE 3. During this rotation, the projections 48 and 49 pass over center in a counterclockwise direction. As the projection 48 moves against the leg 44, the leg 44 yields enough to allow the projection 48 to pass and to assume the new position of FIGURE 3. Similarly, the projection 49 moves counterclockwise in a direction from left to right of FIGURE 3 and, during this motion, the leg 45 yields to allow the projection 49 to pass over center to the position of FIGURE 3.

Although there is a continued tendency of the legs hearing against the section 37 of square cross-section to continue rotation of the catch member 30 further in a counterclockwise direction, further rotation is stopped by the bringing of a surface 57 of the arm 35 into a blocked relationship with the sleeve 22, thereby barring the catch member 30 against further rotation beyond the position shown Because the legs 44 and 45 tend, in this position, to press together against flats on the section 37 of square cross-section in a counterclockwise direction, the spring pressure thus exerted by the legs 44 and 45 will tend to urge rotation of the hub 31 in a counterclockwise direction to the limit of its motion as above described and will continue to resiliently hold the catch member 30 in extended position as long as this condition prevails. Conversely, when it is desired to again return the catch member 30 to the initial position of FIGURE 2, the turn button 52 is rotated in a clockwise direction. This causes the section 37 of square cross-section to rotate clockwise, forcing projections 48 and 49 over center against the yieldable resistance of the respective legs 44 and 45 until the section 37 again reaches the position of FIGURE 2. In this position, pressure of the legs 44 and 45 is exercised again in the direction shown and thereafter the arm 35 will be held in the retracted position of FIGURE 2. This position is again illustrated in FIGURE 5.

In the form of invention shown in FIGURE 6, a spring plate member 60 is shown having an aperture 61 therein fitting loosely over the sleeve 22. At the other, end of the spring plate member 60 there is provided an arcuate recess 62 Which extends partially around the sleeve 20, thereby to anchor the spring plate member 60 against rotation in either direction. A substantially rectangular opening 63 extends between opposite ends of the spring plate member 60 and forms parallel spaced yieldable sections 64 and 65 fastened at opposite ends as shown. A

firmer spring action can be provided by this technique and also a spring plate member of relatively light charafter which will not readily become damaged or worn out. Resistance to rotation of the catch member 30 alternately in extended and retracted positions is accomplished by pressures of the respective yieldable sections 64 and 65 against the fiat faces of the section 37 in a clockwise direction from the respective projection 48 and 49. This would be the condition occurring when the catch member 30 is in retracted position. When the section 37 is rotated by an appropriate t-urn button 52, for example, in the counterclockwise direction to extend the catch member 30 to a position like-that shown in FIGURE 3, the yieldable sections 64 and 65 again yield, permitting the projections 48 and 49 respectively to spread the yieldable sections further apart as these projections pass over center until they reach the opposite location comparable to that shown in FIGURE 3. When the catch member 30 finally reaches its extended position, the yieldable sections 64 and 65 exert a spring force upon the appropriate side of the section 37 adjacently respective projections 48 and 49 in a counterclockwise direction sufiicient to yieldably hold the catch member 30in extended position.

The last mentioned spring plate member makes of the yieldable sections 64 and a sturdy, dependable spring action tending to hold the catch member 30 selectively in a retracted position, like that of FIGURE 2, or an extended position, like that of FIGURE 3. The further advantage of this form of device lies in the fact that no extra construction need be employed to anchor the spring plate member 60 against rotation, since it makes use of the sleeves 22, 20 already present While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claim so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

, In a latch for a sliding door, a casing, a hub member rotatably mounted in the casing, a relatively flat catch member non-rotatably mounted on the hub member for movement between extended and retracted positions, a pair of stops in the casing engageable by the catch member in each of said positions, a unitary fiat spring member of synthetic plastic resin material attached to the casing in position parallel to the catch member, said spring member having a pair of spaced parallel resilient .legs projecting therefrom on opposite sides of the hub member, and oppositely directed projections on the hub member adapted to be continuously engaged by inner edges of said resilient legs whereby to releasably hold .said catch member against one or the other of said stops.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS THOMAS J. HICKEY, M. HENSON WOOD, JR.,

Examiners, 

